Bringing you the high-speed motorcycle racing news & action from today with the race photos from yesterday & today.
Having followed AMA Flat Track, AMA Road Racing, WERA & various other series since the early to mid '70s, the adrenaline-fed rush still lives on.
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Sunday, May 11, 2014

Pata Honda rider Jonathan Rea rounded off a perfect weekend on his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade at the fourth-round World Superbike championship event at Imola in Italy today.

The 27-year-old British rider comfortably won both of today’s races at the 4.936km Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari from pole position, setting the fastest lap in each of the two outings. He now leads the championship by four points from fellow Brit Tom Sykes.

Rea got superb starts in both 19-lap races and was never challenged, with Chaz Davies and Sykes joining him on the podium in race one. Davies and Sylvain Guintoli were second and third respectively in the second race.

Rea’s Pata Honda team-mate Leon Haslam finished tenth in race one and eighth in race two, battling hard in both outings after a promising start to the Imola event. He will join Rea and other World Superbike riders for an official one-day test at the Imola crcuit tomorrow.

Jonathan Rea

- 1st and 1st

It’s been a great weekend for me! I couldn’t have imagined doubling up coming here. But I knew we’d be strong because it’s a circuit I really enjoy and one that the bike goes really well at. To cap it off, it’s also been a perfect weekend for the team with Lorenzo [Zanetti] winning his first World Supersport race so massive congratulations to him. Mikey [van der Mark] was on the podium and he’s leading the championship, too. It’s a shame we have a test tomorrow because I think everybody in the team deserves to go and really enjoy the night and savour this moment but it’s back to work tomorrow! We’ll try to make the bike better and go to Donington hopefully to keep this ball rolling. I’m really enjoying riding right now and I want to thank everyone who’s put the work in. Not just the track staff here but the guys back at base in Nieuwleusen [Netherlands]. It’s also the home round for our sponsors, Pata, so a big thanks to them, too.

Leon Haslam

- 10th and 8th

We’ve made a step but from free practice yesterday morning we’ve lost about a second a lap. From being able to do high 47s and low 48s on old, used tyres, we’ve only been able to do high 48s today, dropping into the 49s. I was quicker on an 18-lap harder tyre on Friday than I was in both races today. So, for me it’s not been a good weekend, but it’s been fantastic for the team. You always want to beat your team mate, but it’s good that the bike is capable and for me that’s a positive. Also a one-two in Supersport is mega for the team but it probably adds a little frustration from my side because it could have been good for me. We’ve got a test here tomorrow so we’ll hopefully be able to figure some things out and find out what changed from yesterday. I know Donington well and that the bike can work well there, so hopefully I can start my season there!

Pieter Breddels

- technical co-ordinator

Leon struggled today and was far away from his team-mate. We know he can be within a second or half a second of Jonathan but it was not his day. We changed some things for race two and he fought for a better finish. We have a test tomorrow and we’ll do anything we can to get him to the front with more confidence. It’s in there, and he’s a little fighter – he’s not giving up and neither are we. Jonathan has had an amazing double win. After his pole yesterday things were looking good and, after warm-up this morning, it was looking even better. The competition had no chance today and he’s now leading the championship, so big congratulations to the whole crew. I’m so happy for Jonathan, too, because he has stuck with us through some hard times and always believed in us.

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The King

The 4-1-1

Fan of all racing, but the bikes are what makes the adrenaline flow and the rush set in.
In what started as an attempt to share and scrapbook my racing catalog, I have since streamlined my coverage to give a more updated and behind the scenes look at motorcycle racing from the eye of my camera and from my perspective as a long-time fan.
So stay tuned for coverage of AMA Pro Flat Track and Road Racing, along with some of the other series that showcase the great sport of 2-wheeled high speed racing!
You can e-mail me @: stuman714@yahoo.com